title: From bench-top to chair-side: how scientific evidence is incorporated into clinical practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this manuscript is to describe the process through which bench-top research is incorporated into clinical practice from an evidence-based dentistry perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant literature is reviewed to describe the translation of bench-top research to clinical practice through the steps of preclinical testing; human clinical trials; systematic review development (question development, search/screen methods, evidence synthesis, and evidence appraisal); clinical recommendation development; dissemination strategies; the role of the clinician in finding and appraising relevant evidence; barriers to implementation with strategies to overcome those barriers; and finally, the fusion of evidence with clinician experience and patient needs and preferences in clinical decision-making.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Descriptions of processes, methodologies, tools, and resources are provided to help researchers and clinicians alike understand the steps that lie between bench-top research and clinical implementation. With mutual understanding of the complexity involved in translating research into practice, it is hoped that barriers to implementation can be overcome that should lead to improved patient health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: American Dental Association Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: tracys@ada.org.
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tracy
mesh_terms: D003752:Dental Health Services; D055094:Evidence-Based Dentistry; D006801:Humans; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
keywords: ADA; ADA evidence reviewersas; ADA's Council on Scientific Affairs; AER; American Dental Association; CPG; CR; CS; CSA; Clinical practice guidelines; Clinical recommendations; Critical appraisal; Dental materials research; Dissemination; EBD; Evidence-based dentistry; IOM; Implementation; Institute of Medicine; JADA; PICO(TS); SR; Systematic reviews; The Journal of the American Dental Association; Translational research; clinical practice guideline; clinical recommendation also known as; critical summary; evidence-based dentistry; patient-intervention-comparator-outcome-timing-setting [format of clinical questions]; systematic review